Locomotive throttle and drifting valve mechanism



Feb. 17,` 1931. J. E. McDANlEL l@793,371

' LOCOMOTIVE T-HRTTLE AND DRIFTING VALVE MECHANISM Filed Jan. 19. 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTO RN EY Filed Jan. 19; 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,8 5. E l. L m ,V f E m n l N A M V E g 1 s J8 li M mp0. if 22V?. a wm ad 7 v 0. 3 ...mw k j A@ AMW n f5 y. 2 RW 1 ffl R 7 Q w. w f

Feb. 17r 1931.

Feb. 1.7, 1931. J. E. Mmm-1E'. 1,793,371-

LocoMoTIvE THROTTLE 'AND DR'IFTING VALVE MECHANISH 1 Filed Jan. 19. 1929 s sheets-sheet s 14 ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 17, 1931] JAMES E. Menen- Inn or continuare, SOUTHoenorinvn LoooMorIvE'THRoTTLE AND D12-Interns VALVE MncHANrsivr Application 'ined Januaryw, i529. serial Nofaaae'rs.

certain amount of the'steam tothe cylinders' through the usual steam linewhen the locomotive is drifting in 'order toprevent the formationo'f vacuum inthe A'c`yli1`1der's, to pre'- v vent the Aentrance ofgrit intofthe cylinderm to afford the properlubrication to the cyli'nf ders, 'and to prevent the carbonizationoffoil Within the cylinders.

i Another object of this invention. is the `pro-- vision of 'a combined th'rottleiand drifting.

valve"which, when 'any steam leaksjpas't vtlie valve, While the valve is vin a normally closed position and the locomotive is at r'est,'will die rect, said leakage-`avvay from the cylinders, preferably toa Water feed tank `vvhere such steam may be `utilized for heating purposes, and thus prevent ypassage of the vleaking steam toV the Cylinders vvhere'itV might 'cause an accidental movement ofthe pistons.

Still another object of thisinvention' is the provision of a combined throttle land drifting valve of the piston type wherein fthe piston is subject on it'spposite sides to equal pressure of steam from the boiler `so that the valve will always be balanced in Whatever position it may be set andthus have no tendency to 'be moved byr steam "pressure from such position.

"li/Vith the foregoing and other objects in view, Which Will appear r as they description proceeds, the invention' resides in the combi# nation andarrangements of parts and vinthe details of construction.hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodimentof the inL vention hereindisclosed can be vmade vvithin the scope of' what is 'c laimed'vvithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

Figure 1Y is a diagrammatic vievv of 'a loco-Y motive having vthe present invention 'applied thedome,

thereto. It is to be understood, hovveverytliat the invention is applicable to any'type of 'loL comotive. i Figure 2 is a vertical central sectional vievv, on a larger scale, through the steam dome of a locomotive embodying the present inven' tion and showingthe valve in normally closed posit-ion.

Figure 3 is a `section taken on line 3;3of Figure2.

through the valve seat 'and' valve illustratedV in Figure 27 thevalve'being Yshown in the posi? tion it Yassumes during they drifting fof the locomotive. Y Figure 5 is a veiWl similar to Figuret shovving the valve inthe position it assumes vvhen in fullopen position.

of the vvall vof the valve cylinder showing a of steam to land from the valve cylinder.

`Figure 7 is a sectional view through the upper a'ndlovver steam controlling pistons*Ir showing a modified arrangement of packing rings and ports inrsaid pistons; "Referring to the drawings, B designates the boiler ofthelocomotive, C one of the cylinders, E the exhaust from said cylinder,fand S the stack, lall of the same being of usual construction and being shown only diagrammatically. i r The `steam dome 8, as here shovvn,` is pro! vided vvith a .removable head Snformed as an annulus and secured rigidly in place in a cover 9 being removably attached tojth'e head. Said cover is provided with a central opening 10 for the reception of a rey movable cap 10 provided with a stuiiingbox 11, the purpose of `Which will presently vappear. Depending in the dome fromthe `cover 9 is a casing 12 forming-asteam chamber. e yThe casing 12 has at its .upper enda plu-4 rality. of inlet ports'13 for`1 the admissionvof steam thereto from the steam dome. i A valve cylinder 14, of smaller4 external diamete'rthan the internal diameter ofthe casing 12 and *preferably formed integrally vv'ith the bottom ofthe casing 12', Iextends up-v i i UNITED'. orec f Y 'ce Figure 4L is a vertical central sectionalvievv F lgure 6 is an enlarged vievv of afragment 'l0 modified `'shape of the ports for the passage lthe inlet ports 13 of said casing. This Vcylinder has its upper end open for the admission of steam thereto from the casing 12. 4

A substantially cylindrical jacket 15, con centric with the cylinder 14', surrounds the cylinder 14 with its peripheral wall spaced from the `walls of the casing 12 and cylinder 14 and its upper and lower walls connected at one side of the jacket to the wall or" the casing 12, thus forming in the casing 12v anupper compartment 16 and a lower compartment 17 connected bythe space 18 betweenthe peripheral wall of the jacket 15 and the wall of the casing 12. Y'A conduit 19 is con-v nected at one endto the jacket 15 and at its other end to the steam chests of the driving cylinders of the locomotive.

A row ot horizont lly aligned and preterably substantially, diamond shaped ports 2O arefformed in the wall of the cylinder `14 above the upper wall of the jacket 15 for the admission of steam from the upper compartment 16 ofthe .casing 12 4to the upper portion of the cylinder 14. A pair of vertically spaced horizontal rows oit similarly shaped ports 21 and 22 are formed in the wall of the cylinder 14 between the upper and lower' walls ofthe jacket 15 ffor the passage oix steamirorn the cylinder 14 tothe space 18 between the cylinder 12 and the jacket 15 and thence to the conduit 19; and a horizontal row oi similarly shaped ports 23 are formed in the wall` of the cylinder 14 betweentheiower wall of the jacket 15 and the bottom oi the casing 12 to admit steam from the lower compartment 17 of the casing 12 to the lower end of theV cylinder 14.

Y The casing 12 has anopening in its bottom concentric with the cylinder 14, and a cylinder 24 of smaller diameter than and concentric with the cylinder '14j depends :from

the bottom of the casing 12 below said opening into the locomotive boiler. The cylinder 24 has an Vopening 25 j in its wall vapproximately midway between its ends to which a c 35 is connected and extends through the wall or" the steam dome 8 for a purpose to be explained hereinafter. A cap 2G is mounted on the lower end of the cylinder 25 and is provided with openings 27 for the admission of steam from the boiler to the lower end of the cylinder Valve means are provided for controlling j the flow of steam trom-the upper andlower compartments 16 and 17 01" the casing 12 through the ports 2O and 23 into the upper andV lower ends of the'cylind-er 14, and thence through the ports 21 and 22 to the jacket 15 and'also for conveying to the port'25 of the cylinder 24 any steam which may leak p st said controlling means when in closedsposition. Such means is shown as a valve, denoted generally as V, Inova-ble lengthwise of the valve cylinder 14 and including a piston rod 23, a pair of upper spaced pistons 29 and 29 carried by said rod and working in the valve cylinder 14, together with a pair of lower spaced pistons 30 and 30 working in .the cylinder 24. The pistons 29, 29 and 30 each has a peripheral groove 31 connected by a radial bore 32 to a bore 33 extending longitudinally of the piston rod 28 between the pistons 29 and 30. In Figures 2, 4 and 5 each of the pistons 29, 29 and 30 is shown as carrying Ton itsperiphery apair of rings 34, one above and the other below the peripheral groove 315 thereof, to prevent, so :tar as possible, leakage of steam past said pistons. In Figure 7,'the rings"34 'of the upper piston 29 are lshown( asbeing both located above the peripheral groove '31 of said 'piston and the rings 34,5051v the. .piston 29l asboth located' below the peripheral groove of said piston.

The peripheralgrooves 31 of the pistons 29 and 29 are Vspaced apart adistance equivallent to the ldistance between the centers/of the yport-s 2O and 22 of the cylinder 14, so that,

when the peripheral groove 31 of the'piston 29,'istopposite the vports 2O the peripheral groove of the piston 29 Awill be opposite the ports 22, or, when the peripheral groove 31 of thepiston 29is opposite Ato and is covered byl that portionf oi'jtheiwall of the cylinder 14 above the ports 20, thejperipheral'groove of the'piston 29 V,will'be opposite to and be covered by that'portion'ofthe wall of the"I cylinder. between .the portsf21fand 22.y

y,Theperipheral' groove 31 of the piston'30 is spaced at such afdistance from the? peripheralgroove v31 or A.the piston 29 that, when the valve is in closed position, as shown in Figure2, that is tosay, with thegroove 31 of the piston 29 ycovered by the portion of the wall of the cylinder 14 between the ports 2O andthe ports 21 andwith the groove 31 of the piston 29 coveredby the portion of the wall of the cylinder 14'between the ports' 22 and ,23, the peripheral groove of the piston 30. will be inalignment with the port 25 of the cylinder 24.

l/Vhen the valve is in its closed position shown in Figure 2 steam will be prevented by the pistons`29 and 29 from passing from the upper and lower ends of the cylinder l14 tothe intermediate part of said cylinder, that is to say, to the part of the cylinder surrounded by the jacket 15; but if any steam should escape past the Vuppermost ringY 34 of the piston 29er past the' lowermost ring 34 of the piston 2 9 it will pass'into the peripheral groove 31 and radialbore 32 of vsuch piS.-

ton, through the vlongitudinal bore 33 of the phere or`to the feed water tank 361er the boiler for preheating the water'in such tank. 1f the valve be movedjupwardly into the Y'se 'Y valve is set.

- shape, as shown in Figures 2, 4y

invoegen position 'shot-vn 'in Figre i to bring the peripheral grooves 3lof the pistons 29 yand 29 into registry, respectively, with-the ports 2O and V22 ofY the cylinder 14, steam will pass locomotive, lthus vsupplying a Y sufficient drifting purposes. Y

If, on vthe other hand, the valve Ybe moved quanti-tyof steam tothe latter Cylinders for kto its uppermost or full open position shown in Figure 5, steam will pass from the space 18 through the ports and 23 into'the cylinder 14 and out of the ports 2l l5 and thence through the conduit 19 to the driving cylinders of the locomotive.

The area of the upper side of the piston 29 subject to steam pressure from the boiler through the open upper end ofthe cylinder 14 and through the ports 20 in the wall or" said cylinder plus'the area of the upper side of the piston subject to steam pressure from the boiler through'the lpoi'ts 23 in the wall of said cylinder is equivalent tothe area fthe lower side of the piston 29 subject to steam pressure from the boiler through the ports 23 plus thearea of the lower side of the 'piston 30 subject to steam pressure from the boiler thro-ugh the openings 27 in the cap 26 at the lower` end of the cylinder 24; 'and the area of the lower side of thepiston 29'is equivalent to the area of the upper side o-f the `piston 29". Therefore, the valve comprising the pistons 29, 29, 30 and 30 will `always be balanced in whatever position kthe Although `the ports 20, 21, 22 andk 23 in the wall of the cylinder 14A may be of any shape, it is advantageous to make them of diamo-nd and 5, or pointedV at one end, as at 20 in Figure 6, beca'use when they 4are so shaped 'onlya coniparativeiy small amount of steam can pass through them during the early. part of the movement of the pistons 29 and 29 past lthem when the valve is moved toward open position, and the amount of steam permitted to pass through said ports during the further movement of the pistons will increase at a rate greater than the rate of movement-of the pistons. Thus suddcnadmission of steam to sudden starting of Means operable from the cab of the locomotive are provided for movingthe pistons 29, 29', 30 and 30 into closed position, or into drifting position, or into full open position. Such means are here shown as a rod 37 extendingthrough the stuffing boX 11 in the cap l0 and having its lower end connectand 22 to the jacket kthe ed to Vtheupper'sideio'f the piston 29, asat 38, and its upper end connected to-a lever 39 fulcrumed between its ends on anfarm 40 eX- tendingupwardly'from the cover 9. A link 4l connects the other end 4ofthe lever 39 to one arm'of a bell-crank lever 42 fulcru'med on the steam dome, and a Vsecond link'43 extends from the other end offthebell-crank leverV 42 i'n't'o'thefcab`v of thelocomotive kwhere it is connected'tothe throttle lever v44. The'throttle lever 44' moves across a segment 45 marked to indicate closed position, drifting' position and open posit-ion of the 'valve when the throt! tle'leverislopposite such marks. VFroiiithe foregoing description,eit will be evident that a combined throttle-and drift-i l.

ing valvev has been devised applicable to any type of locomotive,'a-nd i which will render lit unnecessaryfte-provideV i automatic drifting valves to prevent'vacuum in the cylinders when Vthe locomotive is driftine,

pistons when the valve is closed andthe locomotive is at rest,

Which iS readilyA and also that in case of any leakage past l i I i i .the steam is directed i Vaway from the throttle line so that none 'of it can enter the power cylinders to accidentally operatethepistons of the'locomotive, butas hereshown, it is vdirected to a feedwater heater where it can kbe utilized for that or other purposes.v

leak, it is only necessary to bodily remove the complete vvalve through the top of the 'dome and renew the necessary rings, instead of haw' l'10() and seats as is necessary kkin the case of the' `1 ing to resort to thefgrinding of Vthe valves valves commonly inruse at present. Y

I claimty l. A combined throttleand drifting valvev Q mechanism, including a main-casing insertinlet ports to and through the outlet ports.

2. A combined throttle mechanism, including a able V'within the steam valve casing mounted in the main casing and provided with inlet ports adjacentthe ends thereofA and with intermediate outlet ports, anoutletchainber surrounding the valve cassv and drifting valve main casing insertdome of aboiler, a y

ing vand into which said outlet portslead,'a

reciprocatory valve mounted inthe valve cas# ing and Vcomprising two spaced pistons toV controlthe flow of steam from the inlet ports to andrthrough'theoutletports, the maincas'- ing having an extensionconcentrically of the valve casing provided with an 4outlet port i open tothe'exter'ior, and a piston carried byV c. f By this construction, should Vthe pistons 7 ing valve mechanism mounted therein and including a cylindrical valve casing provided.

with spaced inlet and-outlet ports, a valve mounted 1n said casing comprising a vpair of connected spaced pistons .for controlling the passage ot steam from the inlet to the outlet ports, each of said pistons havinga-port in its periphery communicating with the port in the periphery of the lother piston, said pistons being shiiitable to align their ports, respectively with an inlet and outlet port ofsaid Y valve casing.

e. The combination with a locomotive A steam dome, of a combined throttle and dritt- Ving valve mechanism mounted therein and including a cylindrical valve casing provided with spaced inlet and outlet ports, a valve mounted in said casing andcomprising a pair of spaced pistons for controlling the admission of steam from the inlet to the outlet ports,

Y said valve casing-having at one of its ends an Veries of said pistons, l said third piston registering with the port ot the valve casing extension when .the hrst' extension providedwith a'lateral outlet port, a pipe leading from said lateral outlet port to the exterior of the steam dome, a third piston working in said extension, each ofsaid pistons having a port in its periphery, and means connecting said pistons and-having a conduit communicating with the ports inthe periphthe peripheral port of named pistons are positioned to prevent the passage of steam through the inlet and outlet ports of said casing. i

5. The combination with a steam dome, oi' a combined throttle and drifting valve mechanism including a valve casing provided with intermediate outlet ports and inlet ports at opposite sides of said outlet ports, saidy casing being provided with an extension having an outlet port between the ends thereof, means connecting thelatter port to the exterior of the steam dome, a valve comprising a pair of pistons working in said valve casing and movable into and out of position to establish communication between said inlet and outlet ports, and a third piston working in said extension, each of said pistons having a peripheral port, and means connecting said pistons in spaced relation and having means connecting the peripheral ports of said pistons, the peripheral port of said third piston being in registry with'the outlet port of said extension when first named pistons 'are positioned to close communication between the inlet and outlet ports of said casing and thereby convey away steam leaking past said iirst named pistons. i Y 1 6. The combination with asteam dome, of

a combined throttle and drifting valve meclr anism including a valve casing provided with intermediate outlet ports and inlet ports at opposite sides'of said outlet ports, said casing being provided at one end with an extension having an outlet port between the ends thereof, means connecting the latter port with the exterior of the steam dome,a valve comprising a pair of spaced pistons operably connected together and working in saidz valve casing, to control the passage of steam from said inlet portsl to said outlet port, a third piston operably connected to said pairof pistons and controlling the outlet'sport of the extension, said pistons being provided with communicating ports, the port oi said third piston beingout of alinement with the outlet port oi Y the' extension when the ports of said'irstnamed pistons are in alignment, respectively, with an inlet port and an outlet port of the valvecasing.

7. ln locomotive having a steam domel and drivingI cylinders, a combinedy throttle anc drifting valve, comprising a cylinder having a main portion and an extension of smaller diameter vthan its main portion, said nain portion having a pair of circumferential spaced. rows of outlet portsbetween its ends and an inlet port between each of its ends and each oi said outlet ports, means connecting said outlet ports with the driving cylinders of the locomotive, said inlet ports being spaced, respectively, the same distance from saidoutlet ports as said rows foi outlet ports are spaced apart and said extension having an outlet port in its wall communicating with the exterior of the steam dome, a pair. of peripherally grooved main pistons working in the main portion of said cylinder and a peripherally grooved secondary piston working in the extension of said cylinder, and means connecting the peripheral grooves of said main and secondary` pistons, said pistons being unitarily shiftable to place onel ofthe main pistons between one end of the main portion ofthe cylinder and one Vof the inlet 

